View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Examining the Authenticity of Autistic Portrayals in US Adult and Children's Television Shows Using Medical and Social Models of Disability.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Examining the Authenticity of Autistic Portrayals in US Adult and Children's Television Shows Using Medical and Social Models of Disability.
Authors: Sauermilch, Willow S., Ivey, Michelle L., Rasmussen, Eric E., Najera, Christina J.
Source: Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders. Feb2025, Vol. 55 Issue 2, p524-539. 16p.
Subjects: Asperger's syndrome in children, Autism in children, Children with disabilities, Autism, Content analysis, Television, Authorship, Descriptive statistics, Mass media, Social skills, Asperger's syndrome, Motion pictures, People with disabilities
Geographic Terms: United States
Abstract: Television programs have introduced viewers to characters on the autism spectrum (e.g., Sesame Street, The Good Doctor), impacting audiences' knowledge and attitudes. Thus, it is essential that character representations convey accurate health information. This study explores how autistic portrayals across six adult and children's television programs align with the medical (e.g., American Psychiatric Association in Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., text rev., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787) and social models of disability. A content analysis methodology was used to investigate defining characteristics of autism (i.e., medical model) and how characters navigated their environment (i.e., social model) in 252 scenes (across six characters in 22 episodes). Measures included the frequency with which autism characteristics (e.g., social-communicative difficulties, restrictive repetitive behaviors) were present across autistic portrayals and the valence (e.g., positive, negative, neutral) with which characters interacted with their environment (e.g., character and neurodiversity affirming valence). Findings indicate that (a) television portrayals depict social-communication difficulties significantly more than behavioral characteristics, (b) children's programming portrays autistic characters with significantly more positive personal attributes (i.e., character valence) than adult programs, and (c) the majority of programs portray characters navigating autism in positive or neutral ways (i.e., neurodiversity affirming valence). Results offer stakeholders (e.g., writers, advocates, neurodiverse community) insight into how autistic characters are portrayed on television, adding to a growing body of literature examining how such representations impact public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards individuals on the autism spectrum. Collectively, such studies highlight how changes in diagnostic criteria, legal protections, and social inclusivity are presented to viewers, who are seeking entertainment but gaining public health information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 182958582
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Examining the Authenticity of Autistic Portrayals in US Adult and Children's Television Shows Using Medical and Social Models of Disability.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sauermilch%2C+Willow+S%2E%22">Sauermilch, Willow S.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ivey%2C+Michelle+L%2E%22">Ivey, Michelle L.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rasmussen%2C+Eric+E%2E%22">Rasmussen, Eric E.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Najera%2C+Christina+J%2E%22">Najera, Christina J.</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Autism+%26+Developmental+Disorders%22">Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders</searchLink>. Feb2025, Vol. 55 Issue 2, p524-539. 16p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asperger's+syndrome+in+children%22">Asperger's syndrome in children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism+in+children%22">Autism in children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children+with+disabilities%22">Children with disabilities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism%22">Autism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Content+analysis%22">Content analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Television%22">Television</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Authorship%22">Authorship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mass+media%22">Mass media</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+skills%22">Social skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asperger's+syndrome%22">Asperger's syndrome</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motion+pictures%22">Motion pictures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22People+with+disabilities%22">People with disabilities</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+States%22">United States</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Television programs have introduced viewers to characters on the autism spectrum (e.g., Sesame Street, The Good Doctor), impacting audiences' knowledge and attitudes. Thus, it is essential that character representations convey accurate health information. This study explores how autistic portrayals across six adult and children's television programs align with the medical (e.g., American Psychiatric Association in Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., text rev., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787) and social models of disability. A content analysis methodology was used to investigate defining characteristics of autism (i.e., medical model) and how characters navigated their environment (i.e., social model) in 252 scenes (across six characters in 22 episodes). Measures included the frequency with which autism characteristics (e.g., social-communicative difficulties, restrictive repetitive behaviors) were present across autistic portrayals and the valence (e.g., positive, negative, neutral) with which characters interacted with their environment (e.g., character and neurodiversity affirming valence). Findings indicate that (a) television portrayals depict social-communication difficulties significantly more than behavioral characteristics, (b) children's programming portrays autistic characters with significantly more positive personal attributes (i.e., character valence) than adult programs, and (c) the majority of programs portray characters navigating autism in positive or neutral ways (i.e., neurodiversity affirming valence). Results offer stakeholders (e.g., writers, advocates, neurodiverse community) insight into how autistic characters are portrayed on television, adding to a growing body of literature examining how such representations impact public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards individuals on the autism spectrum. Collectively, such studies highlight how changes in diagnostic criteria, legal protections, and social inclusivity are presented to viewers, who are seeking entertainment but gaining public health information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=182958582
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10803-023-06215-z
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 524
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Asperger's syndrome in children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Autism in children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Children with disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Autism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Content analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Television
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Authorship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mass media
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Asperger's syndrome
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Motion pictures
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: People with disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United States
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Examining the Authenticity of Autistic Portrayals in US Adult and Children's Television Shows Using Medical and Social Models of Disability.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sauermilch, Willow S.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ivey, Michelle L.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rasmussen, Eric E.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Najera, Christina J.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 02
              Text: Feb2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 01623257
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 55
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders
              Type: main
ResultId 1